No Way To Know
I frequently reflect on the inherent limitations of describing spirituality or reality.
While my purpose in writing this blog is often to explore and articulate my thoughts on these topics, the primary intention is to engage in a dialogue with myself. I write to process ideas, consider concepts, and revisit “Aha!” moments that I wish to examine further at a later time.
Nonetheless, I recognize the inherent inefficacy of these attempts. I often liken the endeavor of analyzing or describing reality to a dog attempting to comprehend and describe my actions when I leave for work. My dog has no way of understanding what occurs during my absence, and any attempt she might make to interpret my day will be fragmented and shaped by her limited cognitive capacity. She may imagine I spend the day at a dog park or lounging on a larger couch—ideas that, while appealing, fail to reflect the true nature of my activities. Her understanding is constrained to her perspective as a dog.
Similarly, every spiritual teaching or lecture is fragmented because human comprehension is inherently limited by the constraints of our own minds. It is worth noting that nearly all attempts to convey reality center on the human experience. Rarely, if ever, do we encounter a discourse on reality from the viewpoint of a tree, for example. Yet, while humans are integral to the fabric of reality, we can never fully grasp reality from the perspective of other life forms, such as trees, whose experiences are just as vital.
Even within the human community, each individual’s understanding of reality is shaped by their personal experiences. For instance, a person who is deaf will have a vastly different perception of music than someone with hearing, while someone who lacks sight will experience touch in ways that those with sight cannot fully comprehend. Our capacity to understand reality is further influenced by the language we speak and the cultural context in which we are raised. A person raised in India will likely have a different understanding of consciousness than someone raised in East Tennessee, United States.
It is a fundamental mistake to assume that any of our descriptions or interpretations of reality and spirituality are complete or exhaustive. While I do not believe that attempting to communicate our understanding of reality is inherently futile, I do believe that we must acknowledge that all such attempts are inherently flawed. Each effort is an incomplete and imperfect reflection of a reality that is infinite and beyond full human comprehension.
Personally, I prefer to experience reality without the constraints of words or thoughts, holding the understanding that I can never fully know or grasp what is happening. To reach a point where one believes they fully understand is, in my view, a dangerous place to be. It is wiser, I think, to remain in a state of “unknowing,” where the limits of our understanding are acknowledged and embraced.
